The invention resides in a bottom plate for closing a crankcase of an internal combustion engine including channels for a lubricant and for a coolant integrated into the bottom plate and a heat exchanger disposed on the bottom plate.
DE 198 55 562 C1 discloses a crankcase including chambers serving as oil storage spaces. DE 100 33 416 C1 discloses a bottom plate for closing that crankcase. With the bottom plate in connection with the crankcase, a dry sump lubrication system is provided. Lubricant as well as coolant channels are integrated into the bottom plate. Generally, this bottom plate consists of cast aluminum. The packing density and free channel length are determined mostly by the smallest core height and the minimum wall thickness. However, manufacturing of such a structure is expensive and structures or means for additional functions can be integrated into the bottom plate only by redesigning a bottom plate to provide one of correspondingly larger size.
Auxiliary equipment such as pumps and heat exchangers are mounted on the bottom plate. A heat exchanger comprises a connector plate with passages for the coolant and the lubricant, stacked heat exchanger plates and a cover plate. The heat exchanger is bolted to the support plate via a support structure. This support structure must be very stable since the arrangement tends to vibrate. At the surface area of the heat exchanger in contact with the support plate a seal is provided.
However, the large weight of the unit comprising the bottom plate and the heat exchanger is critical.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple arrangement comprising a bottom plate and a heat exchanger.